Basic researches and clinical trial results have proved that hyperlipidemia, including hypercholesteremia, hypertriglyceridemia, and complex hyperlipidemia, is key risk factor of stroke, cornary heart disease, myocardial infarction, and sudden death due to heart failure. Moreover, hyperlipidemia is a key risk factor to promote hypertension, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and diabetes. It also leads to adiposis hepatica, liver cirrhosis, pancreatitis, subhyaloid hemorrhage, acroisa, peripheral angiopathy, and hyperuricacidemia.
At present, the clinically widely used lipid regulating agents contain cholesterol biosynthetic enzyme inhibitor statins and peroxisome proliferative activated receptor (PPARs) transcription factor activator fibrates. Statins decrease endogenous synthesis of cholesterol and reduce low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) via inhibition on activity of HMG-CoA reductase. Meanwhile, statins reduce blood content of LDL by increasing or activating the express level of LDL receptor on hepatocellular surface. Fibrates are a class of lipid regulator that mainly acting on triglyceride. The two classes of drugs are main trend of lipid regulators. The clinic pharmacodynamic action is exact, the potent dosage is low, and the bioavailability is high. However, side effect of the two classes, such as liver injury and rhabdomyolysis, causes security problems being worried and worth concerned.
Compared to the drug development pattern in western drug manufacturers, finding new type lipid regulator in Chinese traditional herbal medicine is a new drug developing way that suitable for our country. Lots of Chinese herbal medicine with good lipid regulating action and low adverse effect has wide application perspective. For instance, triterpenes in Chinese hawthorn inhibit cholesterol synthesis in vivo and accelerate cholesterol clearance. Anthraquinone is the active components contained by rhubarb, semen, and fleeceflower root, it promotes enterokinesia, and increase cholesterol excretion. The lipid lowering effect of Alisma L. orientate Juzep is associated to interference of triterpene compounds with endogenous metabolism of cholesterol. Danshensu in salvia miltiorrhiza indicates inhibitory action on cholesterol synthesis in vitro. Salvia miltiorrhiza increases excretion of bile acid. Gypenosides in Gold Theragran can reduce the level of blood LDL-C, total cholesterol, and triglyceride, and elevate the level of HDL-C.